Barcelo Ixtapa, A great place for Families

from anonymous

I've stayed at the Barcelo Ixtapa for the past 6 years during the Christmas Holiday. I just love it. The hotel is nice, not very luxurious. The staff has been the same for the past six years, from the manager to the cleaning ladies... they are all proffesional and make you feel welcome. I dont like to take the All Inclusive since the Barcelo is well located and there are many restaurants to enjoy during a 1 week stay. Ixtapa is great for families, during the Christmas Holiday the place is full of kids and you can be walking around town at midnight and all you'll see are people with strollers.

3 years, and counting

from anonymous

i have stayed at the barcelo 3 years, and next week i am going back for my fourth. this time i am taking two of my boys,14,11.i have always felt safe there, and we all know how important that is lately.the food last year wasn't as wow as in the past, but i am hoping that it was just a bad week for them.i've read the reviews on the other hotels near, but i don't feel as comfortable walking through them.the bar staff were all great, as were the cooks, be careful of the time share people, they can give you a headache unless you establish, right away, that you are not intrested.the beach is awesome and safe.and the mall..lol, across the street is very cool.if you have any q"s, email me...have fun......

Barcelo is awesome

from anonymous

I stayed at the Barcelo resort last summer. I thought it was excellent. The staff was wonderful and the hotel in general was very festive and alive. There was never a moment to be bored. By the pool, there was always some kind of tournament going on where you could win prizes like tickets to a big night club. The beach was awesome! I would not reccomend going to this hotel for a honeymoon because you will not be able to have a quiet night. There are many other people in the hotel and there is really nowhere you can relax in peace and quiet.

Barcelo was great!

from ctreese

My wife and I just got back from the Barcelo, Ixtapa and had a great time (4/18-4/25). This was our first time to Ixtapa and second in Mexico. Our first impression was that the hotel was clean and well kept. Of course, it is Mexico so some ammenities appear to be dated or slightly below what you would expect in the US. But, the staff kept everything very clean, very important to us. As the week wore on, our opinion of the hotel and staff increased. As for the staff, they were always available to offer drinks, food, or conversation/advice. The main dining area was typical all inclusive buffet dining, slightly bland but adequate and we didn't get sick. After a couple days of that, we tried the Sunset Terrace by the pool and the food there was excellent, service was too. During the day, the bar near the pool offered hotdogs and hamburgers that were actually very good and easy to get in between swimming or boogie boarding. There are enough restaurants in Ixtapa so remaining on the grounds all the time would be a waste anyhow. Even though we went during the high time, we felt that the service was great and we never felt overrun by others at the hotel. We would definitely consider going back to the Barcelo.

Food is awful - avoid the Barcelo

from anonymous

We just came back from our one week stay and I am glad to get home to a decent meal. We went to the Barcelo Ixtapa expecting the same high standards as those we experienced at the Barcel Mayan Beach Resort - we couldn't have been more wrong. The food was awful. Breakfast and Lunch were nothing special but the dinners were so bad I would not even feed them to my dogs. Fatty, disgusting steaks, questionable chicken, YUK. This is not the type of cuisine that North Americans expect. I would never ever go back. The rooms were clean however the lock on the door was not very sturdy, one good push and the door would have opened. This is not a five star property.

First time in Ixtapa

from anonymous

It was our first time in Ixtapa (me, my wife and 13yrs old sun). We

arrive at 1:30 in the morning it was dark, we were tired, cheching in

was fast, when we got to the room, we where not to happy about the

room. It was a room with view on the parking lot ,on a smoking floor,

it smell like ****. I went down to front desk to change my room

immediately. I was told, the hotel is full, no can do, try tomorrow

morning at 9:00 after people check out. But I was not satisfy by those

answers, I told the gentlemen at the front desk we do not smoke and we

want a non smoking floor with a room with ocean view, no can do he said

again. No, No I said you do not understand, I told Him you take care of

me, and I will take care of you and I left the front desk. After 10

minutes the phone ring, It is him telling me my room is ready, I reply

non smoking ocean view! Yes sir He reply. No difference in the room

same type of room, but no smell and a spendid view of the ocean. I gave

Him 20$ US for tip. They make about 7$ us a day, so It was very good

tip for Him. Beside that every thing else was great, the food, the

peolple, the service, the entertainement , the beach, ect. The room are

not special at all but clean, they could improve their rooms some. It

is an all inclusive and the variety of the food is excellent and tasty

and I am picky! It was the place to be! I visited all others hotels

there, one or two hotel may have nicer room but no atmosphéere, less

services or not all inclusive and were not full book, that is an

indication right there. The only other thing I did not like was check

out, our flight was at night again, we had to leave room for 4:30 pm

and were living at 9:45 only, were do you go for rest? I ask to get the

room longer, no can do again, we should have ask the day before they

told us, I guess if I would have tip the guy again I would of got a

room for sure! One thing I notice and is important to me, because in

some hotel the noise of air conditionning sometime is very loud in my

room anyway it was sise (wich I did not mind at all). I will recommand

this hotel and you could see me their again.

The Barcello was great

from anonymous

The "Barcello" was everything that my wife and I expected and even better than all the information we had researched about it before we arrived at the resort. The staff was very friendly and accomodating. the food and drink were plentiful and of quality. We would recommend a one or more weeks visit to any of our friends. The main pool is not "Handicapped" accessible, but the pool at the "Barcello time share" does very well with its one step to the pool floor & then sloped ramp to a 3' 8" large pool area with a waterfall. The exersize room is very adequate and the equipment is 1st class. The sunset restaurant at the beach is great..(what sunsets)Ixtapa, is clean and the people are polite and friendly. There is really not any need to leave the Barcello Resort area. Just relax and enjoy...Keith & KayPS.. Kay, had to use a walker & crutches. She is recovering from a broke leg. (The Barcello let us use their wheelchair for our 2 week stay.)

Barcelo - All-inclusive

from anonymous

We stayed at the Barcelo 2-1-03 through 2-8-03 and were very pleased with the resort. We chose the AI option which worked well for us. The rooms were nothing special but they were QUIET and clean which is important for us. The soda, beer and water from the minibar was included in the AI price which was nice. The grounds were vere nice and there was always something to do: ping-pong, water aerobics, water volleyball, beach volleyball, ceramic painting, or just hanging around the pool or beach. The swim-up bar was great and the bartenders THE BEST!!!!!! The buffet for breakfast was very good with omelettes to order and lots of fresh fruit and pastries. Lunch was also good at the Caracol which was poolside and offered buffet or sandwiches or The Gondola which was more beachside and offered hamburgers and pizza.The two ala carte dinner restaurants are very good as well. The Sunset Terrace offered many types of steaks and seafood. The DonQuioxte(sp) was a little more adventuresome with Spanish cuisine. It was all very good. You are allowed only two dinner reservations per week at these restaurants so we also visited the Marina one night for dinner. We have stayed at the El Presidente and the Dorado Pacifico before and probably would rank the Barcelo higher than the El Presidente and somewhat equal on the Dorado even though they are not all-inclusive. Highly recommend snorlkeling on Ixtapa Island while you are there!!!Enjoy!!!!!!_

Horrible Resort

from anonymous

I actually went to Ixtapa for my honeymoon in 6/01 and had to write this review upon finding this website recently. My husband and I stayed at the Barcelo and upon our arrival, we were showed to our room and it was quite small. That night we were awakened by a huge group of kids banging things against our door and walls. Not the kind of honeymoon night we anticipated. We asked to be moved and they moved us to a junior suite which we throughouly enjoyed. The air conditioning was warm, not cold. However, it was summer, so you couldn't walk on the ground w/ out shoes or a towel. The pool was SO dirty w/ hair and bugs, not to mention warm every day. The food in all the restaurants was horrible. The alcohol was SO warm. I didn't drink at all after that. The staff was very helpful and friendly however. I DO NOT recommend this resort for anyone. Not even families. If you are considering this hotel, DO NOT. People all around us were getting sick from the water and food and saying how they would never come back. So my husband and I survived on chips and candy from the over priced gift shop. We did however enjoy all the activities we did off the resort grounds. Swimming w/ the dolphins was amazing. Horseback riding on the beach, and snorkeling on Ixtapa island we highly recommend. So we basically paid for an all inclusive package and ate and drank nothing. DO NOT STAY at the Barcelo.

Very enjoyable...great food

from anonymous

My 19 year old daughter and I traveled to Ixtapa in June 2002. The weather was very hot and steamy everyday. We stayed at the Barcelo Beach Resort in downtown Ixtapa. The hotel was 'nice' although not plush. In February I had stayed at the Melia Azul, and there was no comparison. The Barcelo was in a great lcoation right across the street from the craft market and within walking distance of most everything. I liked the resort and we had a great time.

A highlight of the trip was swimming with the dolphins. What an experience! I recommend it highly. It is expensive, but worth it. I hope to be able to do it again sometime.

This was my second trip to Ixtapa, and I decided that since we were staying downtown, I would try using the buses. We took the bus to many places, and I found the system reasonably priced and easy to navigate. We went to Playa Quieta twice and took the water taxi to Ixtapa Island. The island is great for snorkeling. It is calm and beautiful, and even though I am not an experienced swimmer, I had a great time.

I want to write a little more about the resort. It was summer in Mexico and very hot. The hotel pools and the ocean were too warm, but I guess that is to be expected in June. The shower was the best palce to cool off. The staff in the restaurant and bars were wonderful. Everyone tried hard to please. I speak some Spanish, and I always try and use it. Trying to speak the language is always helpful in making friends at a resort. The best feature of this resort was the food. Everyday there were at least 5 choices of meat, chicken and fish made fresh on the charcoal grill. My daughter and I both enjoy salads, and the choices of vegetables and salad dressings were wonderful.

There was a problem that we encountered that I want to share. Before going on this trip, I read many comments from other travelers. Others had talked about being ripped off in their hotel rooms. In the past I have taken many all invlusive vacations, and never had a problem of this type. I thought that travelers who have things taken probably leave them available. When I travel, I always use the safety deposit box for money, passports, tickets, jewelry--all valuables. On this trip, as usual I used the safe. I did not notice any missing items during my stay. When my daughter and I were packing to leave for home, she noticed that she was missing a new pair of jeans and a tank top. We both searched the room and did not find the items. We were leaving early in the morning, and I didn't have time to report it to management. Once I got home, I reported the problem to my travel agent. In just a few days I got a call from the Barcelo Beach Resort in Ixtapa saying that the items we "left behind" had been found. There were actually 5 items found. The manager said that they would be mailed to us at the hotels expense. When we got the package, all the clothes were my daughters. I was pleased to have them returned, but I just want to warn other travelers to keep an eye on all their belingings, not just your "valuables". The hotel said that they would be sending me a letter, but I have not received it yet.

I will be traveling back to Ixtapa, but I'm not sure that the Barcelo will be my choice for accommodations. Ixtapa is a beautiful destination and we had a great time.

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